Angel of Death
by GaaLee-girl-13
Summary: A string of murders breaks out in Konoha, caused by the so-called "Hourglass Killer". With all of their friends dropping dead around them, can Lee's marriage hold up? GaaLee, M for violence, character deaths. A/N: this is a rushed story, I apologize
1. Angel of Death

Angel of Death

_"Mysterious murder in Konoha. Law enforcement agents arrived on the scene of a heinous murder in downtown." _The group of friends stared at the small television screen in the diner they always met in. _"The body of thirty year old Anashi Ikaya was found dead in her home yesterday. Law enforcement agents say her throat was slit, causing her to bleed out. They also say that she was found with no shirt and had an odd design and writing carved onto her body. More details on this later on."_

"T-that's really s-scary…" Hinata murmured, scooting closer to Kiba.

"No kidding…" He thought out loud.

"Who's that?" Naruto asked as he leaned back against the booth seat. "That Anashi girl?"

"Naruto, she graduated college with us!" Lee said in an astonished tone. "She was at the top of our class!"

"Huh, don't remember her." Naruto shrugged and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Like you didn't remember me in college?" Shino said quietly.

"Shino, I said I was sorry like a hundred times." Naruto sighed.

"Naruto, you're so stupid." Sakura said in a defeated tone. Lee shook his head and leaned against Gaara's shoulder, yawning quietly. "Hey, you guys, it's getting late. I don't care if it is Friday night. We need some rest." She said, noticing Lee falling asleep on Gaara.

"Yeah," Ino chimed in, "we should all go and get some sleep." She stood up, along with a few others. "Come on guys." Everyone stood up and began filing out of the diner, nodding and thanking the waitress as they left.

"See you all tomorrow." Sasuke waved over his shoulder as he pulled Naruto along by his hand.

"See you." The group called in unison. Lee smiled and leaned on Gaara, yawning again.

"Come on, let's get you home." Gaara smiled faintly and walked with him down the street, waving quickly to the group. They walked for a while in silence before Lee began to tell Gaara about how sad it was to know that one of their classmates was murdered. He nodded along, listening very intently.

"So where were you earlier?" Lee asked suddenly. "You were home later than usual." Gaara smiled faintly.

"My boss has been running me ragged. I had to stay and work late." Lee smiled and wrapped his arm around Gaara's thin shoulders.

"Figures. You always do more than necessary. I like that about you."

"I'd hope so seeing how you're married to me." Gaara smirked, waving his wedding finger with its gold band in Lee's face. Lee smiled and mimicked him, trying not to laugh. Gaara could still make him giggle like a little school girl even though they'd been married for seven years. "Now come on, Lee" He yawned and unlocked the front door of their house. "You need to rest." Lee nodded as he followed Gaara inside.

"Alright." He smiled gently and walked into the bedroom. They both changed and slipped into bed. "Good night, Gaara…" Lee yawned, turning towards Gaara in the dark.

"Good night, Lee…" Gaara smiled slightly and kissed his husbands' forehead.

"What the hell am I looking at?" A police officer said in a shocked tone, staring at the pictures he had been handed.

"Photos of the victims' upper body." One of the investigators replied. "These pictures focus of what was carved into her skin."

"It looks like some sort of hourglass." The officer commented. "It's huge, though."

"Yeah, it covers her entire stomach region. But look at that." She pointed at more carving on the inside of the hourglass.

"Is that… writing?" The woman nodded. "What's it say?"

"It says, 'Bitter crimson tears flow from lifeless eyes and mingle with the endless sands, bestowing ever-greater power upon the demon god.'"

"What kind of psycho are we dealing with here?" The officer muttered.

"I don't know, but we need to find him fast. This guy seems like the kind that will progress into a serial killer." The investigator planted her hand over the pictures. "We can't let this continue."

Lee yawned and covered his eyes with his arm, shielding them from the morning sun now piercing through his bedroom window. The room was quiet, almost silent. That was odd for a Saturday morning. He sat up and looked around the room for a moment. Gaara was nowhere to be seen. Lee froze, listening carefully for some sort of noise.

Nothing at all.

"Gaara?" Lee called, slowly standing up and walking out of the bedroom. "Gaara? Are you home?" He searched the house but found no trace of his husband. "Where on earth could he have gone?" Lee murmured quietly as he walked back into the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed just as something caught his eye. A note was lying on the bedside table, neatly folded in half. Lee smiled, already knowing it was from Gaara.

_"Dear Lee,_

_ I'm sorry I'm not home, but don't worry. Everything is fine. I forgot about a document I needed to submit for work so I ran out early this morning to finish it. I'll be home soon. You just need to go back to sleep, alright? Get some rest before the work week starts up again. I'll wake you when I'm back._

_ Love,_

_ Gaara"_

Lee smiled and set the note down. He rubbed his eyes and did as Gaara had directed. He lied back down and was quickly asleep once more.

_"No, no, no!" Lee yelled as he ran through the unfamiliar house. "No, please! Don't do this!" Tears stung his eyes as he tried to find safety. "Please don't do this!" He clenched his eyes shut as he ran past the body of his best friend. "Stop it!" He ran down a hall but hit a dead end. "No! No! No!" He wailed, pounding his fists on the wall and looking about franticly. He went stiff with fear as ominous laughter filled his ears, becoming louder by the second. Lee spun around with his back to the wall to see a figure shrouded in darkness slowly walking towards him. The figure reached out to him with a hand covered with his dead friends' blood. Lee shuddered and slid down to the floor to sit curled up in a helpless ball. "Who are you?" Lee screamed in fear. "W-Who are you?" The figure came closer and closer still, until it towered over his cowering frame. Lee froze as the figure leaned in close to his ear and whispered._

_ "I am the angel of death."_

"No!" Lee yelled and sat bolt upright, rigid with fear, cold sweat on his brow. He tried to take a few deep breaths but couldn't manage. His body soon went limp and his hands shook uncontrollably.

"Lee?" Gaara peeked in through the bedroom door with fresh pajamas and a towel on his head. "Lee, what's wrong?" He walked to Lee's side of the bed and sat down next to him. "What's the matter?" Gaara asked with genuine concern.

"I-It is nothing, Gaara." Lee replied shakily. "It was just a nightmare." Gaara frowned and wrapped his arms around Lee's shoulders, pulling him close. Lee sighed and managed a few deep breaths. A few moments later he stopped shaking.

"Better?" Gaara asked with a faint smile.

"Yes, thank you." Lee smiled and hugged Gaara tightly.

"Well," Gaara stretched, "I'm done with work for now so…" He grinned and pushed Lee back onto the bed. "We can do whatever for the rest of the day." Lee smiled, letting Gaara kiss his neck and ear. "Any ideas?" Lee smiled tiredly at him and kissed him gently.

"I just want to rest." Lee grinned and pulled Gaara down next to him. "If that is alright with you." He teased. Gaara smiled faintly and lied next to Lee, wrapping his arms around the older boys' waist.

"Of course…" Gaara murmured and held Lee close. "I love you…" He whispered.

"I love you too…" Lee yawned. Gaara stared at the window while Lee slept in his arms. He took a deep breath, smiling when all he smelled was the room and Lee's scent. Nothing else. He let out a quiet sigh of relief and closed his eyes, soon falling asleep with Lee.

Gaara whined a complaint as the phone rang. Lee groaned and rolled over, reaching tiredly for the phone on the bedside table. "Hello?" Lee asked quietly.

"Bushy Brows, go turn on the tv! Check the news!" Gaara hissed, irritated, as he listened to Naruto screaming on the other end of the phone. Lee had clenched his eyes shut and was holding the phone away from his ear.

"Alright, Naruto, I will." Lee said once the blonde had calmed down. "I will talk to you later." Lee sighed and hung up the phone, getting out of bed slowly. He smiled as Gaara complained and moaned in protest and picked the redhead up in response. "You are coming with me." He directed, carrying Gaara into the living room and dropping him on the couch. Gaara grabbed the remote and turned on the news.

_"Haruhi Shina was just found dead in her home. Officials say that she was killed in the exact same way as Anashi Ikaya. They also say that there is currently no evidence that this is the work of a serial killer, but the same carving was found on Haruhi's body."_

"Another girl killed? And she was in our graduating class, too." Lee stared at the television in disbelief. "I cannot believe it…" Gaara simply shook his head, as if at a loss for words.

"There's nothing that can be done now, Lee." Gaara finally stated. Lee almost retaliated, but thought better of it as he realized that Gaara was right. Nothing could be done now. All they could do was hope that the killer was caught. Gaara took the remote and clicked the television off. "Don't worry. I'm sure they'll catch whoever is doing this." His last statement almost seemed sarcastic, but Lee didn't notice.

"You are right, I am sure they will." He smiled and leaned against Gaara, quickly dozing off again.

Sakura yawned, trudging through her house early Sunday morning. She tied her pink robe shut and stepped into her slippers as she walked towards the kitchen. Her cell phone buzzed loudly on the table, announcing a message. She looked at it before ignoring it as usual. It was only Lee's ritualistic 'good morning' he sent to everyone at the exact same time every Sunday. Yawning again, she sat down at the table and simply stared at the wall for a few minutes. Everything was quiet as usual.

"You really should keep your door locked at night." A voice commented quietly. Sakura went stiff with fear, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise.

"W-Who's there?" She stammered, looking around frantically.

Suddenly the voice whispered in her ear, "I am the angel of death." Before she could react, she felt the cold metal blade of a knife slit through the skin at her throat. As she fell from her seat she saw a man with blood red hair, and then everything went black.

"Sakura?" Ino called from down the hallway. It had sounded like someone was there talking to her. "Sakura, are you alright?" Ino stepped out into the kitchen to see Sakura crumpled on the floor, blood pooling around her head. "Sa-!" She fell silent as the blade of a knife was held to her throat. It was cold and wet with blood.

"We can't have you waking the neighbors." A man said softly from behind her.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked quietly, her voice faltering slightly.

"I don't need to answer your questions." He said. She listened closely. His voice was low and monotone, less like talking and more like exhalation and sound. It was familiar, like a voice she had heard very much in the past. "I will, however, tell you what I am." Her breath hitched as she recognized the voice. "I am the angel of death."

"G-!" She fell silent as her throat was slit, falling to the ground with one last glimpse of blood red hair before the world turned black.

Lee glanced up from his book as he heard the car stopping in the driveway. He smiled and walked outside to help Gaara unload the groceries. Gaara greeted him with the usual kiss and began handing him bags. No sooner than they had gotten everything put away in the house, Lee's phone began ringing. "Hello?" He asked in confusion.

"Bushy Brow, this is bad, this is bad!" Naruto was practically screaming on the other line. "This is horrible!"

"Naruto, calm down!" Lee yelled at him. "What is wrong?" Naruto was speaking frantic gibberish before Sasuke took the phone.

"It's Sakura and Ino. They were found murdered this morning." He said, his ability to disguise emotions in full swing. "They think it's the same guy. Everyone else has been told already. We're meeting at the diner in a few. We'll see you there?" His question was more of a statement.

"Yes, both of us will be there." Lee nodded to himself. "See you soon." He hung up and stared at the phone a minute longer. Without thinking, he spun on his heel and threw the phone as hard as he could towards the wall.

"Lee!" Gaara hissed, catching the phone. "Calm down!" He set the phone down on the table and stood in front of Lee.

"If I ever get a hold of this bastard, I swear I will make him wish he had never been born!" Lee shouted, punching the wall with all his might. A loud crack echoed through the room.

"Lee, you idiot!" Gaara drug him into the bathroom, ignoring the small crater in the kitchen wall. "You broke your finger!" Lee was still in too much of a rage to notice what was going on around him. Gaara grabbed the first aid kit and quickly bandaged Lee's pinky finger to a small stick. "I told you to calm down!" Lee winced slightly before realizing what had happened.

"I-I am sorry… I did not mean to…" He apologized softly.

"I know… Come on, we need to go meet the others." Gaara kissed his cheek and led him out of the house towards the diner. Lee held Gaara's hand with his undamaged one, unaware of the events to come. "You really should control your emotions a bit more at times." Lee nodded in mild defeat.

"Yes, Gaara…" Gaara watched him out of the corner of his eye.

"Don't mope around like that. What happened to Sakura-chan and Ino-chan is upsetting, but they were not the type of people to wish you grief. They would want you to be happy and not dwell on these events." Gaara said smoothly.

"You are right, Gaara. They would not have wanted us to be in such sorrow." He nodded, standing straighter, walking with new energy. "Thank you." He murmured. They walked swiftly into the diner with a quick nod to the waitress before approaching their usual booth. Hinata was crying, huddled against Kiba. Shino's face was hidden behind his dark glasses and coat collar. Sasuke looked like a statue and Naruto was staring at his glass of water as if it held the answers to all their problems. Lee and Gaara sat down and glanced at the others.

"What happened to your finger?" Sasuke asked finally. Lee looked at his hand for a moment, examining the bandage.

"I punched the wall and broke my pinky before we came here." He stated as if it were a regular occurrence. Sasuke nodded and the table surrendered to silence once more. Nearly an hour ticked by with not a single word being uttered.

"We're going home, guys." Kiba said, one arm around Hinata's shoulders. "Shino, why don't you come with us?"

"Alright." Shino nodded and stood up, waiting for Naruto and Sasuke to let him pass.

"We'll see you guys later." Kiba nodded to the four remaining friends and left with Shino and Hinata.

"What do we do now?" Naruto finally spoke, his voice a low growl.

"I do not know…" Lee stated quietly.

"Let's go home." Sasuke suggested. "We all could use some rest." Everyone agreed, slowly trudging out of the diner and down the street. Lee waved goodbye as their paths split before turning back to face the direction of their own house. Neither said a word as they entered the house, nor as they walked into the bedroom. Lee changed into his pajamas and lied on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Gaara changed quickly and sat down next to him with a book, deciding to read to pass the time more quickly. Lee sighed heavily, moving to rest his head on Gaara's leg. He smiled when Gaara rested one hand on his shoulder, fingers moving in slow circles against his muscles. The sun was still shining through the bedroom window, warming the room and making everything seem more calm. Lee yawned, finally giving up and letting sleep overtake him.

_"Why are you doing this?" Lee screamed at the black figure moving towards him. "Why are you killing all of these innocent people?" The figure held out its hand to him, pale and gaunt. It laughed, a high-pitched childish laugh laced with insanity and murderous intent. "W-Who are you?"_

_ "Lee, you don't recognize me?" The figure asked, sounding almost as if it was hurt by the question. "It's me, -." Lee struggled to hear the name but somehow missed it._

_ "Why?" He screamed again, fear racking his body._

_ "Because, I'm the angel of death."_

Lee awoke with start, sitting upright and looking around frantically. It was pitch black outside and the clock read to be midnight. He glanced around frantically, as if something must be horribly wrong. Gaara stirred next to him and slowly sat up.

"Lee, are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

"Y-Yes, I am fine. It was just another nightmare." Lee took a few deep breaths before looking over at his husband.

"Another one? Are you sure you're alright?"

"I am positive, Gaara." Lee smiled weakly. "After all, it was only a dream. Good night." He leaned over and kissed Gaara gently. Gaara gave him a faint, genuine smile and lied back down.

"Good night."

Lee awoke from his fitful sleep at the sound of the alarm clock. He quickly changed and walked into the living room, turning on the news again. He listened half-heartedly to the weather as he poured a bowl of cereal.

_"Three more bodies found last night in the Inazuka home." _Lee froze on the spot, staring at the screen. About then, Gaara trudged out of the bedroom rubbing his eyes. _"The bodies of Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuuga, and Kiba Inazuka were found. They are suspected of being more victims of the man the police are now calling "The Hourglass Killer". More news, coming up."_

Everything continued as normal for the day. Lee was his usual, energetic self in the dojo as he helped his students. Nothing seemed out of place except the lingering thought of more of his friends being killed. He dismissed the class early and grabbed his cell phone. He dialed a number long left forgotten in his contact list. "Hello, Neji-kun?" Lee asked as the phone was answered. "It is Lee. I was wondering if I may come visit for a few." Once his request was accepted, he hung up and got in his car. He decided against returning home. Rather, he would just go straight to Neji's house. Gaara would understand.

"Hello, Lee." Neji greeted him swiftly at the door. "Come in. I heard about Hinata and the others." Lee glanced at him for a few, realizing that his friends face was tearstained but emotionless.

"Yes, it is all very tragic. I was simply hoping to have someone to pass the time with."

"What about Gaara-san?"

"He has been acting very…" Lee trailed off in search of words. "Very odd lately. He has not been his usual self."

"Have you mentioned it?"

"No, I have not. I figured he was just caught off guard by the events of late. It has not been easy for anyone."

The chat continued idly, punctuated by long pauses. After some time, Neji excused himself for a moment as he reminded himself that he was supposed to be calling Tenten every day. Lee sat silently, watching the walls and glancing at the clock.

"Neji-kun?" He called once nearly twenty minutes had passed. Another five seemed to disappear. "Neji-kun?" He asked again. Something seemed wrong. Very wrong. Lee stood up quickly and walked down the hall, peering through the dim light cautiously. He saw something crumpled on the floor, like a large pile of towels. As he stepped closer the carpet beneath his feet make a sickening, squelching noise. Leaning close he saw that it was not towels piled on the floor in a heap. "Neji-kun?" Lee shook his shoulder roughly. "Neji-kun!" He pressed his fingers against Neji's neck in hopes of feeling a pulse. Instead, his fingers came into contact with a bleeding gash. He came to an awful realization. His friend was dead, the carpet was soaked with his blood, and the killer was probably still here.

Lee's nightmares were coming true.

"Lee…" A voice called, childlike and cracked with insanity. "Lee…"

Somewhere, deep down in the pit of his stomach, Lee knew that there was no hope now. Nothing would help him, nothing would save him. But he ran anyways. As futile as it was, he ran away from the voice. In no time, he was living his nightmare. He ran away from the body of his dead friend and down the hall.Tears stung his eyes as he tried to find safety. "Please don't do this!" He ran down a hall but hit a dead end. "No! No! No!" He wailed, pounding his fists on the wall and looking about franticly. He went stiff with fear as ominous laughter filled his ears, becoming louder by the second. Lee spun around with his back to the wall to see a figure hidden in shadow slowly walking towards him. The figure reached out to him with a hand covered with his dead friends' blood. Lee shuddered and slid down to the floor to sit curled up in a helpless ball. "Who are you?" Lee screamed in fear. "W-Who are you?"

"Lee, you don't recognize me?" The figure seemed hurt by the mere thought of it. He leaned closer and Lee's heart stopped. He sat, curled up on the floor, staring up at his husband on seven years whose hands were sticky with their friends' blood. "It's me, Gaara." Lee shook his head frantically, as if that would somehow make it a lie. "I…" Gaara smiled, twirling the bloody knife in his hand, "am the angel of death."


	2. Snapped

Snapped

Lee cringed as he sat in his car listening to the news report on the radio. More bodies were being found every day. By now, the town was merely inhabited by people who thought nothing bad could ever happen to them. It had been nearly two months since he had seen one of his closest friends killed by his husband of seven years.

_ "I," Gaara smiled, twirling the bloody knife in his hand, "am the angel of death."_

_ "Gaara, this cannot be true…" Lee said in disbelief. "You are killing all of these people?"_

_ "Yes… All of these people… All of our 'friends'… I'm the one who's killing them all…"_

_ "Why?" Lee asked in a choked voice._

_ "Because," he grinned maniacally, "it makes me feel alive!" Lee sat in amazement at the joyous look on Gaara's face at the thought of death. Slowly, he rose to his feet, keeping eye contact with his lover. He held the smaller mans gaze for a moment before he could no longer take it._

_ "I am sorry." His eyes were downcast for a brief second. Suddenly his eyes locked back on Gaara, one hand sweeping the redheads' arm away a safe distance. Gaara inhaled sharply, shocked at the sudden movement. Lee saw his opening, darting for the door. He knew it was a horrible idea, but he stopped in the doorway, turning to look back._

Lee slammed his fists against the steering wheel and cussed quietly under his breath. Everything could have worked out if he hadn't looked back. He could have moved on, thrown away his wedding ring, moved to a new town, changed his name and his looks, started a new life. All if he hadn't looked back.

He thought over the numbers quickly. There were only about three dozen people left in this town. All of them kept their doors locked and their blinds lowered all hours of the day. Rarely was any person seen wandering town. An occasional car sped down the street, in a hurry to get wherever they were going. In the past two months the town had gone to hell. It looked deserted and everything seemed to vouch for it. The streets and sidewalks were filthy, gathering litter. There were no signs of life left in all of town.

Gaara must have kept everything calm and collected after Lee escaped. There were no leads on who the serial killer could be, no evidence or suspects at all. Lee felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. This was Gaara, after all. He was meticulous and cautious. If he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be.

Lee dropped his head against the steering wheel with a loud thud. That was the problem. He was still in love. Somehow that hadn't changed when Gaara began killing all of their friends. In fact, it had grown. Lee jumped slightly at the realization. Once the murders began, Gaara had become less silent and static. He talked more with the group occasionally, he didn't mind going out to meet friends, and the way he started to kiss Lee, so gently and pure, it made his head spin.

Gaara was everything to him, his entire world, and still was.

Strangely enough, Lee's desire to see him again grew with every broadcast on the radio. The report of a new death made him quiver, thinking of how happy Gaara would be right then, still coming off the high of his latest murder.

_Lee stopped in the doorway, turning to look back. Gaara still looked so happy, a genuine smile stretching across his face. He was overjoyed, Lee realized with a jolt. Gaara had never been this happy. Not when they started dating, not when Lee proposed, not when they got married. Lee had never seen Gaara this happy and excited in his entire life._

_ He loved it._

_ It hit him like a brick wall._

_ Seeing Gaara in such joy made Lee feel just as happy. He wished he could see Gaara like this more often. He wished that he could still hold and kiss him while in this fog of pure delight._

"I can…" Lee thought out loud. "I can still hold him… I still love him… I want him to be happy…" His said, his voice cracking. There was something in his head, something that had never set quite right or been entirely stable.

It finally snapped.

A huge grin swept across his face and he started the car. He quickly drove through the abandoned streets to his old house, murmuring "I love him…" and "I want him to be happy…" the entire way.

Lee paused, standing outside the front door of his house. Taking a deep breath, he knocked loudly with a quiet sigh.

"Come in." Gaara called from inside. "It's open." Lee pushed to door open and peered inside. Slowly he stepped into the house and looked towards the kitchen. Gaara turned to see who had willingly entered the house, a piece of toast held between his teeth, knife under his belt. His head tilted slightly to the left as he watched Lee with slight astonishment.

"Gaara…" Lee whispered, smiling faintly. "Gaara…" He walked forward slowly, unsure of how Gaara would react. Gaara dropped the toast on the table with little thought.

"Lee… You came back?" His voice was laced with disbelief and faint happiness. Lee smiled and walked into the kitchen.

"Yes… I wanted to be with you again… I need to be with you." Lee stated firmly. "You are still killing people?" He asked softly.

"Yes, I am." Gaara growled lowly, suspicion working its way into his words. Suddenly, a grin burst across Lee's face and he stepped closer to the smaller man. Gaara watched him closely, his fingertips brushing the handle of his knife.

"That is wonderful!" Gaara's eyes widened at that statement. Lee's eyes were shining with joy. "Oh this is wonderful!" Gaara's hand fell from his knife as Lee closed the distance between them, pressing their lips together. It was strange. The way Lee kissed him now was so different from how it used to be. Now it was more sensual, more needed, more passionate than it had ever been. He could feel the desire burning in Lee's lips.

"Lee…" He said, pulling away for air.

"Let me help you, Gaara…" He said softly against Gaara's cheek. "Let me help you feel the joy I saw in your eyes… The night you killed Neji-kun…" Gaara's heart skipped a beat.

"You… want to help me kill?" He asked in awe.

"Of course… The happiness I saw that night… I want to keep seeing it… I can help you…" Lee smiled broadly, kissing Gaara with more passion than ever. Gaara let his eyelids flutter shut, sensations of need and lust coursing through his system.

"Tonight…" Gaara hissed quietly. "We go out to find someone tonight."

Lee nodded happily, kissing Gaara's neck and jawbone. "Of course…"

Naruto sighed as the doorbell rang. "Hey, Sasuke, someone's here!"

"Then answer the door, dobe!"

"Fine!" Naruto shouted back as he walked towards the door. "Hello?" He asked lazily and shoved the door open.

"Hello, Naruto-kun!" Lee said happily.

"Hey, Bushy Brow." Naruto smiled. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you and Sasuke-kun were alright." Lee responded. "With all of these murders, I wanted to make sure that you two were faring well."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, we're doing fine." He paused and looked down the hall before inviting Lee to sit on the couch. "Hey, Sasuke! Get you emo ass out here! We've got company!"

"Hold on, dobe!" Sasuke yelled back.

Lee smiled briefly before burying his head in the crook of his elbow as a heavy coughing fit came over him.

"Dude, you ok? Need some water?" Naruto asked.

Lee nodded. "That would be wonderful, thank you." Naruto nodded back and left for the kitchen.

The front door slid open silently and shut just as quickly as Gaara slipped into the house. Lee smiled lovingly at him. Gaara held a finger to his own lips, drawing his knife with his other hand while a faint grin pulled at the corners of his mouth. Lee looked back towards the kitchen when Gaara had disappeared down the other hall. Soon Naruto came back, handing Lee a glass of water.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Naruto grinned. Silence engulfed the house for a few moments before Naruto shouted again. "Sasuke!" He waited. "Sasuke, what the hell? Get out here!"

His words echoed faintly with no response.

"Damn it…" Naruto growled, walking down the hall. Lee waited a while, looking around aimlessly. He sighed gently, letting the minutes tick by. He knew it would take Gaara a while to carve his signature on both bodies, so he sat patiently.

"There you are." Lee smiled, watching Gaara walk back out of the hall. His shirt had a crimson handprint sliding down the front and his hands were soaked in blood. "Are you ready to go home?"

Gaara thought for a moment. "Not quite." He left for the bathroom, washing the blood off his hands and only touching things with a towel. He rummaged through Sasuke and Naruto's clothes before taking one of their shirts and changing. Lee stood smiling, stuffing everything they had touched into a plastic bag he had kept in his pocket. "There's one more house I want to go to."

"Where is it?" Lee asked as they walked out to the car. Gaara recited the address. "That is…" Lee paused. "That is my fathers' house…" He said quietly. Soon his expression reverted to its full grin. "Alright, we are going to Guy's house." Gaara smiled at his words and got into the car with him.

"Just a moment!" Guy shouted as he walked towards the door.

"Hello, Guy!" Lee said happily.

"Hello, Lee!" Guy hugged him tightly. "Oh, hello there, Gaara!"

Gaara smiled faintly, standing quietly next to Lee.

"Oh, how rude of me. Come in, come in!" Guy stepped aside and ushered them into the house. "Have a seat! I'll go get drinks!"

Lee grinned at how quickly it was progressing. Guy was already leaving this room. His back was turned. Gaara stood silently, his knife sliding from beneath his belt and shirt flawlessly.

Guy glanced at the clock, noticing a swift movement in the reflection on its face.

_Bang!_

Lee had one hand over his mouth, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. Guy was standing stock still, gun in hand, holster showing beneath the raised hem of his shirt. Gaara had crumpled to the floor, bullet wound in his chest near his heart.

"Gaara!" Lee screamed. He ran to his husbands' side, crouching down and cradling Gaara's head in his lap. "Gaara!" His screams turned to sobs, tears falling onto Gaara's face as the blood pooled around them. "No, I will not stay here without you!" Guy's eyes went wide when he saw Lee grab the knife from Gaara's limp hand.

"Lee, no!"

It was too late.

Lee gripped the knife tightly and slit his own throat, trying to imitate Gaara as much as he could. He fell to the ground, lying at Gaara's side as the circle of blood crept farther across the room. Guy stared in horror and disbelief at his dead son and son-in-law. But Lee had a smile on his face.

He had died following his fallen angel.


End file.
